Project Facts
- This project is the largest urban wetland mitigation bank in Washington
- The Springbrook Creek Bank is used by great blue herons that nest at the Black River Riparian Forest.
- Steelhead, cutthroat trout, Chinook slamon, Coho salmon, and lamprey have been seen in Springbrook Creek.
What is the Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank Project?
WSDOT and the City of Renton launched an innovative partnership to re-establish and enhance over 130 acres of wetlands in the Renton area addressing the effects of development within the city and from WSDOT transportation projects. WSDOT and the City of Renton are building an interpretive boardwalk trail through the site to educate the public on the benefits of wetlands and the habitat they support.
Why is WSDOT
creating this wetland mitigation bank now?
Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank is an early environmental investment (EEI) project. The Bank will provide mitigation for highway construction and city development projects prior to the impacts on wetlands and other aquatic resources.
The End Result
The Springbrook Creek Wetland & Habitat Mitigation Bank Project will enhance 110 acres of wetlands and buffer, restore and create a larger connected 20 acres of wetland; totaling 130 acres of wetlands. Thousands of native plants will be planted over the entire project site; including black cottonwood, pacific willow, sitka spruce, western red cedar, snowberry, douglas-fir, and big-leaf maple. These trees, shrubs and plants will attract and create habitat for many different species of wildlife.
Project Benefits
The Springbrook Wetland and Habitat Mitigation bank will benefit the environment and transportation projects by:
- Increasing habitat diversity and developing habitat conditions
- Potentially improving water quality and enhancing hydrologic function
- Removing wetland fills
- Improving riparian (strip of land adjacent to a body of water) functions in a highly urbanized area
- Setting up the site in advance of project development and wetland impacts
- Consolidating mitigation for multiple small wetland impacts into one large site with greater ecological value - the value of the site increases as the site matures.
What is the project timeline?
- Scarsella Brothers was selected as the primary contractor to build this project in 2006.
- Construction kick-off event held Dec. 7, 2006.
- Construction begins Spring 2007.
- Project completion expected fall 2008.
Public Involvement
Your thoughts and opinions are important to us. In addition to working closely with community councils and other local groups, the project team offers opportunities for public information and discussion. Please send the team an e-mail if you would like to be added to the project mailing list. You will be kept posted via e-mail on the project’s status and on further participation opportunities as the project progresses. Also, feel free to check this regularly updated web page for information. If you have comments or feedback please e-mail Colleen Gants in the public information department for the I-405 Corridor Program at colleen.gants@i405.wsdot.wa.gov.
Environmental Protection
WSDOT's I-405 Corridor Program team is completing Environmental Assessments (EA) for the Renton Nickel Improvement Project and the Tukwila to Renton Improvement Project which identify the project effects and mitigation opportunities, and cover up to 20 different disciplines, such as noise, air quality, fish and wildlife, wetlands, and parks and recreation. Throughout the process to complete the EA, the I-405 Project Team is designing the project to avoid or minimize effects to the environment whenever possible. The Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank Project is intended to mitigate the wetland impacts identified in those EAs. The I-405 projects include elements that improve the environment for people, wildlife and habitat such as improved water quality, restored and enhanced stream and wetland habitat and improving streams to allow for fish passage.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental
Services Web site for more information.
Increasing safety is one of our priorities
This project helps mitigate wetland impacts from our other projects which reduce congestion-related accidents by increasing capacity on north and southbound I-405. Congestion-related accidents - rear-end and side-swipe crashes - make up the largest percentage of accidents on I-405.
Will this project impact tribal resources?
This project will not affect tribal reservations lands. The I-405 Corridor Program works closely with tribes throughout the environmental process to ensure that the project avoids or minimizes any effects on archaeological sites, tribal traditional cultural properties and natural resources. WSDOT will follow an Unanticipated Discovery Plan if unknown archaeological materials are encountered during construction.
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the Tribes by using the process outlined in the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Washington Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan and Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
The NHPA was enacted to address the publics concern that many of the nation's historic resources were being overlooked in the public works project process. NHPA Section 106 requires government agencies such as WSDOT to evaluate the impact of all government-funded construction projects. Under the act, agencies maintain their own preservation program, and are required to incorporate advice from historic preservation professionals.
For more information, visit our WSDOT Tribal Liaison Web page.
Financial Information
- Transportation 2003 Account (Nickel Funding) - $16 million
- Other Agency Funds - $1 million. These funds are provided by the City of Renton
- Total Funding from all sources - $17 million
How can I get more information?
Contact:
- Demis Foster
I-405 Corridor Program
600 - 108th Avenue NE
Suite 405
Bellevue, WA 98004
425-450-2561
mailto:demis.foster@i405.wsdot.wa.gov
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